#United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties

[biodiversityday]

Secretary-General message for the International Day for Biological Diversity, observed on May 22nd.

The world’s complex web of biological diversity sustains all life on Earth.  Yet it is unravelling at alarming speed — and humanity is to blame. 

We are contaminating land, oceans and freshwater with toxic pollution, wrecking landscapes and ecosystems, and disrupting our precious climate with greenhouse gas emissions.  Decimating biodiversity damages sustainable development today and creates a dangerous and uncertain tomorrow. 

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework offers a pathway to reverse loss and restore biodiversity — while creating jobs, building resilience and spurring sustainable development.

Governments must lead.  But as this year’s International Day for Biological Diversity reminds us, we are all “part of the plan” — we all have a role to play.  Indigenous Peoples, business, financial institutions, local and regional authorities, civil society, women, young people and academia must work together to value, protect and restore biodiversity in a way that benefits everyone. 

As we mark this Day for Biological Diversity, let us commit to be part of the plan.  Let us act urgently to put biodiversity on a path to recovery.  And let us build ambition to the sixteenth United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties in October to protect the planet and create a more sustainable future for us all.

Mr. António Guterres’

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

With the Earth at its most degraded point in recorded history, and humans making insufficient efforts to prevent the destruction of ecosystems, a growing number of scientists, lawyers and activists are proposing a potential solution that challenges more than 350 years of global governance. 

The idea is to get countries and civil society to sign onto a declaration that recognizes Antarctica and its surrounding Southern Ocean as its own autonomous legal entity, similar to a sovereign country. Along with that status comes the right of Antarctica to participate in decision making that affects it, like the United Nations conferences on climate and biodiversity. 

On Thursday, advocates with the group Antarctic Rights unveiled a draft declaration that would do just that. The document also says the continent possesses inherent rights to exist and continue its natural cycles “free of human disruptions.” Thursday’s event took place on the sidelines of the 16th gathering of parties to the U.N. Convention of Biological Diversity being held in Colombia. 

Since 1959 the region has been governed by the Antarctic Treaty System, a Cold War-era pact designed to promote peace and scientific cooperation south of 60 degrees latitude. While largely successful at achieving those goals, that system has been criticized for making little progress on issues like environmental protection in recent years. Political deadlock, for instance, has prevented the creation of new Marine Protected Areas and the implementation of existing ones in the region.   

Antarctic Rights�� proposal is part of the growing rights of nature movement, which has cemented various rights of ecosystems and individual species, like sea turtles, into legislation and court rulings in more than a dozen countries. The worsening climate and biodiversity crises have helped the movement gain momentum. In Ecuador, frogs have taken mining companies to court and won. In Colombia, courts have appointed human-guardians to oversee the rights of the Atrato River. There’s even precedent for giving nature a seat in the boardrooms of companies. 

But never has an idea been set forth to put a natural entity on par with nation-states. Since the 1600s, international law has treated national governments as the primary force in global decision making.

Critics of that structure, which political scientists call the Westphalian system, argue that it is ill-equipped to handle many of today’s problems, including climate change and environmental destruction, which span national borders. Advocates argue that the nation-state system has an inherent and narrow focus on short-term human interests, neglecting other forms of life. 

[notwiselybuttoowell]

CALI, Colombia (AP) — After two weeks of negotiations, delegates on Saturday agreed at the United Nations conference on biodiversity to establish a subsidiary body that will include Indigenous peoples in future decisions on nature conservation, an important development that builds on a growing movement to recognize the role of Indigenous peoples in protecting land and helping combat climate change.

The delegates also agreed to oblige major corporations to share the financial benefits of research when using natural genetic resources.

Indigenous delegations erupted into cheers and tears after the historic decision to create the subsidiary body was announced. It recognizes and protects the traditional knowledge systems of Indigenous peoples and local communities for the benefit of global and national biodiversity management, said Sushil Raj, Executive Director of the Rights and Communities Global Program at the Wildlife Conservation Society.

“It strengthens representation, coordination, inclusive decision making, and creates a space for dialogue with parties to the COP,” Raj told The Associated Press, referring to the formal name of the gathering, Conference of Parties.

Negotiators had struggled to find common ground on some key issues in the final week but came to a consensus after talks went late into Friday.

The COP16 summit, hosted in Cali, Colombia, was a follow-up to the historic 2022 accord in Montreal, which included 23 measures to save Earth’s plant and animal life, including putting 30 percent of the planet and 30 percent of degraded ecosystems under protection by 2030.

A measure to recognize the importance of the role of people of African descent in the protection of nature was also adopted in Cali.

The Indigenous body will be formed by two co-chairs elected by COP: one nominated by U.N. parties of the regional group, and the other nominated by representatives of Indigenous peoples and local communities, the AP saw in the final document.

At least one of the co-chairs will be selected from a developing country, taking into account gender balance, the document said.

“With this decision, the value of the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants and local communities is recognized, and a 26-year-old historical debt in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is settled,” Susana Muhamad, Colombia’s environment minister and COP16 president, posted on social media platform X shortly after the announcement.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

COP16 creates body to support indigenous peoples, quilombolas

An unprecedented decision at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, last weekend secured the participation of indigenous peoples, quilombolas, and local communities in the negotiating framework of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Nearly 200 countries endorsed the creation of a new global advisory body to include these communities in the decision-making process.

“We have made a historic, unprecedented decision that finally brings Afro-descendant communities out of invisibility. These communities, with their customs, play a vital role in preserving biodiversity and nature—protecting forests, rivers, and the very resources we rely on,” stated Maria Angélica Ikeda, director of the Environment Department at Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Every two years, signatory countries of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) gather to make global decisions on biodiversity at the United Nations Conference of the Parties. This year, the 16th edition of the conference was held in Cali, Colombia.

Established during the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (ECO92) in Rio de Janeiro, the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty focused on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, as well as the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources.

Continue reading.

[massispost]

New Post has been published on https://massispost.com/2024/11/armenia-to-host-un-biodiversity-conference-in-2026/

Armenia To Host UN Biodiversity Conference In 2026

YEREVAN — Armenia will host the next United Nations biodiversity conference in 2026, according to the country’s environment minister. Hakob Simidyan said on Friday that Armenia was selected as the host for the conference, also known as COP17, with 65 votes. The other candidate was Azerbaijan, which is set to host a UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) later this month. During his working visit to Colombia earlier this week, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan addressed the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Cali, stating that holding COP17 in Armenia will be “an excellent opportunity to…

[blsm-m]

Environmentalists say biodiversity crisis requires urgent action Ottawa / Unceded Traditional Territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Peoples Environmental lawyers and activists say the federal government's proposed new Natural Responsibility Law But they say it doesn't go far enough to ensure Canada meets its international obligations to halt and reverse nature loss. The proposed bill would affirm Canada's commitment to contribute to achieving the goals and objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework agreed to by Canada and other signatories at the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity (COP15) in 2022. However, it would not codify these targets into law or require Canada to actually achieve them. "Canada played a leading role on the international stage by hosting COP15 and helped secure a global commitment to critical conservation goals," said Anna Johnston, staff attorney at the West Coast Environmental Law Association. "Now it's time to walk the talk and actually deliver on our lands and waters goals. This legislation is a good start, but it needs to be fleshed out." A new bill introduced in the House of Commons today would require the federal government to develop a plan for reaching the global targets and publish progress. But experts say that by not legally recognizing the global targets as Canadian targets and allowing officials to submit vague documents, the bill absolves Canada of responsibility for actually meeting its obligations. "Just like pouring a bucket of water on a burning house, Bill C-73 will do little to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030," said Rodrigo Estrada Patiño, program director at Greenpeace Canada. "The bill requires significant amendments to the current bill to actually achieve the goals and targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework, ensure they are met in whole-of-government decisions, and prioritize Indigenous rights and overall access to nature." Advocates are calling for the federal government to work with other parties to draft amendments that would strengthen the bill to ensure biodiversity plans and reports are credible, laws and actions respect Indigenous rights and support Indigenous-led efforts, and federal decision-makers cannot undermine Canada's ability to protect nature. "No country has fully met the targets under any international agreement to date," said Josh Ginsburg, director of the Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Ottawa. "This bill shows the government is serious about reversing this trend and acting on behalf of nature, but without stronger measures, success is not assured. The bill should mandate measurable domestic targets that set out what Canada must achieve and when. We need specific, legally enforceable reporting standards to deliver results for nature." -30- For further information, please contact: Anna Johnston | Staff Attorney at West Coast Environmental Law604-340-2304, [email protected] Marie-Christine Fisset | Media Head, Greenpeace Canada514 972-6316, [email protected] Josh Ginsburg | Ecojustice Attorney613-876-1935, [email protected]

[markhorday]

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 2 May 2024.

The General Assembly, Reaffirming its resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, by which it adopted a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative Sustainable Development Goals and targets, Reaffirming also its resolutions 53/199 of 15 December 1998 and 61/185 of 20 December 2006 on the proclamation of international years, and Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 on international years and anniversaries, in particular paragraphs 1 to 10 of the annex thereto on the agreed criteria for the proclamation of international years, as well as paragraphs 13 and 14, in which it is stated that an international day or year should not be proclaimed before the basic arrangements for its organization and financing have been made, Reaffirming further the intrinsic value of wildlife and its various contributions, including its ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aesthetic contributions to sustainable development and human wellbeing, and recognizing that wild fauna in their many beautiful and varied forms are an irreplaceable part of the natural systems of the Earth which must be protected for this generation and the generations to come, Stressing the urgent need to address the unprecedented global decline in biodiversity, including by preventing the extinction of threatened species, improving and sustaining their conservation status and restoring and safeguarding ecosystems that provide essential functions and services, including services related to water, health, livelihoods and well-being,

Underlining that the markhor (Capra falconeri) is an iconic and ecologically significant species found across the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia, including Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and recognizing that the markhor was categorized as “near threatened” in 2014 and is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, and has been included in appendix I to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora since 1992, Recognizing that preserving the markhor and its natural habitat is an ecological imperative and a significant opportunity to bolster the regional economy, foster conservation efforts and promote sustainable tourism and economic growth and that conservation efforts will benefit the ecosystem, Stressing that, besides its ecological value, the markhor is a valuable species that contributes to the local economy and conservation initiatives, Recognizing national and regional initiatives for range State cooperation, transboundary approaches and mechanisms at the regional level to foster conservation of the markhor,

Noting the upcoming Ninth World Conference on Mountain Ungulates, to be held in Dushanbe from 12 to 15 October 2024, Recognizing that the greatest threats to the survival of the markhor are habitat loss, illegal hunting, including poaching, and climate change, Recalling its resolution 78/155 of 19 December 2023, entitled “Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its contribution to sustainable development”, in which it called upon parties to the Convention and stakeholders to strengthen international cooperation measures for the fulfillment of obligations contained in the Convention, Recognizing efforts for the conservation of the markhor, including the establishment of breeding programmes and the development of a regional strategy and national action plans for the conservation of the markhor in some range States that aim to protect the species throughout its range,

Decides to proclaim 24 May the International Day of the Markhor;

Invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, other international and regional organizations, civil society, non-governmental organizations, individuals and other relevant stakeholders to observe the International Day of the Markhor, as appropriate;

Invites all relevant stakeholders to give due consideration to enhancing international and regional cooperation in support of efforts to conserve the markhor, given its role in the overall ecosystem;

Invites the United Nations Environment Programme to facilitate the observance of the International Day of the Markhor, mindful of the provisions contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67;

Stresses that the cost of all activities that may arise from the implementation of the present resolution should be met from voluntary contributions and that such activities would be subject to the availability and provision of voluntary contributions;

Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of all Member States, the organizations of the United Nations system and civil society organizations for appropriate observance.

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 78/278 - International Day of the Markhor.

Seventy-eighth session Agenda item 13: Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields.

77th plenary meeting - 2 May 2024.

[questlation]

Yili's Premium Brand SATINE Responds to COP15's Call to Build a Shared Future for All Life on Earth with Its Ongoing Commitment to Preserving Biodiversity https://questlation.com/prnewswire/347aa796726318c95211bcb19d56c470/?feed_id=43343&_unique_id=643d3f4165efa

[biodiversityday]

Save the date: COP16 Colombia "PAZ CON LA NATURALEZA." from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1st, 2024.

Now is the time to accelerate action and show progress towards turning the Biodiversity Plan into nationally driven action.

In February, Gustavo Petro, the President of the Republic of Colombia announced that Cali will be the host city for the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) to be held from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1, 2024.

“We bow to the most biodiverse region of Colombia,” the President said. The announcement marked the end of a suspenseful few weeks during which the cities of Bogotá and Cali took to the radio waves, television, newspapers, and social media to speak about COP16 and make the case for hosting the world’s foremost multilateral meeting dedicated to biodiversity.

Speaking at the announcement event, Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, who led her country's bid to host COP16, described it as a meeting for the people, to help humanity live with and aim to achieve peace with nature. “Now begins the journey to COP16,” she said.

As Cali beckons, now is the time to accelerate action and show progress towards turning the four goals and 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Diversity Framework - known as the Biodiversity Plan - into nationally driven action. Parties to the CBD are expected to press ahead with the alignment of their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with the Biodiversity Plan. To be effective, NBSAPs will have to embody a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, as the Biodiversity Plan itself does. Monitoring, reporting, and reviewing of implementation will be key to driving evidence-based progress. 

In addition, COP16 will pore over the provision of means of implementation. Financial resources, capacity building, technical and scientific cooperation, and access to and transfer of technology are essential to the full implementation of the Biodiversity Plan. Goal D of the Plan includes language on securing the means of implementation and making them accessible to all Parties, especially developing countries, Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, and countries with economies in transition.

Parties are expected to move towards closing the biodiversity finance gap of $700 billion per year, and work towards aligning financial flows with the Biodiversity Plan. The GEF-8 resources for biodiversity - the largest yet from the multilateral family of funds - will provide vital support to countries as they initiate the implementation of the Biodiversity Plan. The required finance will also flow through the new Global Biodiversity Framework Fund and through innovative financing mechanisms such as debt-for-nature swaps and biodiversity bonds.

Access and benefit-sharing, addressed in Article 15 of the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol, will feature prominently on the agenda. COP16 will notably consider the operationalization of the multilateral mechanism for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from Digital Sequence Information on genetic resources, including a global fund.

Peace with nature

Inspired by the Inírida flower, a species endemic to Colombia, the COP16 logo was unveiled during the 6th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), along with the host country’s slogan for COP16: “Peace with Nature.” 

Speaking at the logo unveiling event alongside David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the CBD, Colombia’s Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Muhamad said: “This is a flower that never dies. Its petals never fall apart. We hope that the COP16 in Colombia can help the world to make peace with nature, so that we can sustain and maintain life on the planet forever."

The petals represent the 23 targets of the Biodiversity Plan and the 13 ecoregions of Colombia, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. The color palette symbolizes three pathways for action - reduce threats, meet people’s needs, and develop tools and solutions, and the need for synergies. 

“The eloquent logo featuring the Inírida flower speaks volumes of the beauty and diversity of Colombia. Under the theme of Peace with Nature, COP16 will bring the world together to promote and support the implementation of the Biodiversity Plan," Cooper said at the logo unveiling event.

The symbolism of the iconography echoes the UN Secretary-General’s call to make peace with nature, as he referred to how our consumption and production systems are destroying the environment.

The Inírida flower grows nowhere else but Colombia, but the message encapsulated in the emblem will reverberate beyond the host country’s national borders, highlighting the importance of environmental multilateralism. In an increasingly fractured world, global environmental accords show that it is still possible for the world to work together to help forge a sustainable future through multilateralism.

Learn more:

Three messages for biodiversity in the COP 16 logo

International Day for Biological Diversity 2024: “Be part of the Plan”

Astrid Schomaker is the next UN Biodiversity chief

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

Over the past two weeks, leaders from more than 175 countries have gathered in Cali, Colombia, for the 16th gathering of parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The topic at hand? Preventing the utter collapse of nature, which is well underway, according to a wide body of research. 

A suite of strategies could help prevent this, but they cost money—and lots of it. Experts estimate that we will need roughly $700 billion each year to fund the scale of conservation necessary to combat widespread biodiversity loss, on top of what countries already spend. 

One of the main agenda items at the UN biodiversity talks is figuring out where this money will come from. The meeting is set to end today, but talks are ongoing. While there was some progress on this front, countries are still at odds about who will bear the brunt of these costs—and how.

Closing the Gap: Members that signed on to the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity (a treaty from which the U.S. is notably absent) agreed in 2022 on a historic plan to “halt and reverse nature loss.” This global biodiversity framework outlines more than 20 targets and goals for countries to meet by the end of the decade, including protecting 30 percent of land and seas. 

To do that, the plan says we must close the $700 billion financing gap. This may sound like a lot but, as Vox’s Benji Jones points out, it pales in comparison to global gross domestic product, which adds up to more than $100 trillion. Increased funding would be used to help nations, especially in developing countries and Indigenous lands, conserve nature within their borders by establishing protected areas, completing restoration projects and increasing sustainability on farms. 

Countries agreed to submit their individual plans to meet biodiversity targets by the start of this year’s UN talks. However, more than 80 percent of member parties missed the deadline. A few more governments have put forth plans in the past two weeks, but progress is still lagging, according to Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity, a conservation nonprofit. 

“It doesn’t signal that we’re taking this next step very seriously, and it gives a really sound indicator that we maybe are going to be in deep trouble in terms of actually trying to meet the framework that the party set at the last [UN biodiversity talks],” she told me. “We’re way behind the ball.” 

Experts say the majority of the funding gap could be addressed by reducing subsidies that fuel the destruction of nature. By some estimates, wealthy countries and businesses provide around $1.7 trillion in subsidies and tax incentives for agriculture, fishing, fossil fuel development and other industries. This week, several world leaders and nonprofits called for a rapid phaseout of these incentives, Justin Catanoso reports for Mongabay. 

“We use nature because it is valuable. We abuse nature because it is free,” Barry Gardiner, a long-time Labour Party member of the British Parliament, said Sunday at COP16. “The failure to properly value nature leads to shortsighted decision making, and perverse subsidies that damage the global ecosystem.” 

Deliberations over finances are ongoing. 

[intlforestday]

Expert Panel on Forests and Human Health.

IUFRO's Global Forest Expert Panel (GFEP) on Forests and Human Health will host a webinar on March 21, where they will discuss the key messages of their latest assessment. There is growing evidence that nature, particularly forests, contributes to physical and mental well-being and can notably improve human health.

Webinar: Expert Panel on Forests and Human Health.

The United Nations estimates that less than half of the global population is covered by essential health services. Adding to the low rate of coverage, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused further healthcare disruptions that could reverse decades of improvements. Moreover, in recent years, there has been a surge in zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19, SARS, MERS, Ebola, Malaria, and the avian flu, and illness and deaths from such diseases are expected to spike in the future. The implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can strengthen the momentum for combatting these pressing challenges. The third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3) aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Several studies have concluded that nature, particularly forests, contribute to physical and mental well-being and can notably improve human health. Forests can act as a buffer that maintains well-being, provides resources (e.g., food and medicine) and services such as air purification or recreation, especially in urban areas, potentially reducing exposure to environmental diseases and other hazards. However, the relationship between forests and human health is complex, as evidence also shows that forest proximate communities are more prone to zoonotic and infectious diseases, which are often exacerbated by forest degradation and encroachment.

Consequently, in July 2021, IUFRO initiated a global scientific assessment on forests and human health in the frame of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF)'s Global Forest Expert Panels (GFEP) initiative. The assessment will provide reliable and synthesized scientific information, crucial to efficiently utilize the synergies and achieve optimal trade-offs between human health, and the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of forest ecosystems, their biodiversity (including wildlife), as well as trees in other land-uses. The report and the accompanying policy brief will also present response options relevant to the policy context at various levels.

This global assessment report planned to be published in March 2023, will contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by highlighting the nexus between SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being and SDG 15: Life on Land, as well as relevant links to other SDGs. The assessment will provide input to the 2023 session of the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF 2023), the 18th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF18) and other international forums considering forest-related issues, such as the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-16) and the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP-27).

[aakarshita04]

Climate Change in the Middle East

COP28, the twenty-eighth Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is an important event that will be held in the United Arab Emirates in 2023. The aim of the conference is to achieve sustainability and enable action towards climate security.

Gulf countries have the highest potential for storing carbon dioxide underground

The Gulf region is one of the world's largest fossil fuel producers and exporters. As a result, it has faced intense environmental issues. In recent years, the region's traditional view of climate change has changed considerably. However, there are still a number of traditional environmental threats to consider.

Traditional environmental challenges include air and water pollution, desertification, land degradation, construction debris, and biodiversity loss. These threats are interrelated. There are also newer, emerging threats to consider.

The Gulf has an important role to play in the global fight against climate change. This is especially true since the region depends on oil and gas for its economic stability. But the region needs to take a comprehensive approach to new domestic policies.

UAE's 'challenges are opportunities' approach to combating climate change

The UAE is leading the way in the Middle East in terms of action on climate change. It has been the first country in the region to sign the Paris Climate Accord in 2015, and it will be the host of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference in 2023. However, there is still work to be done in the region.

The Arab region is facing many challenges due to climate disruption. Among these are droughts, desertification, and heatwaves. These have affected the lives of everyone in the region. In addition, the region's wealthier nations are at risk of depleting freshwater resources.

Considering the scale of the threat of climate change, it is imperative that the region take measures to adapt to the changes. This is especially true for countries like Iraq and Syria, where millions of people are losing access to water, food, and electricity.

COP28 will be the most important event hosted by the nation in 2023

COP28 is an international climate change conference, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2023. The conference will gather 140 heads of state and government, as well as 80,000 media professionals, to discuss the state of climate change, clean energy, and other issues.

It is a major milestone that the UAE will host the upcoming COP28. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, has stated that the upcoming conference is the most important event that the nation will host in the next few years. COP28 will be held at the Dubai Expo City. This will provide the UAE with a unique opportunity to showcase their achievements and goals in addressing climate change.

COP28's objectives of achieving sustainability and enabling action towards climate security

The Paris Climate Agreement (COP21) has set an ambitious goal: limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. It calls for 'deep, rapid and sustained' emission reductions. This means a shift to a lower-carbon energy system, which can be achieved with scalable solutions.

Developing countries have a vital role to play in the global energy transition. They are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Increasing their contribution to this transition will require a mix of industrialization and adaptation, which is not possible without global cooperation.

As the world approaches COP28 in the UAE, global action will be crucial to meeting these goals. For a sustainable future, the global community needs to move to a more climate resilient world.

Global Stocktake

The Global Stocktake is an iterative process to assess the progress of nations towards their long-term goals. It is an important part of the Paris Agreement. Taking stock of the state of the planet and what needs to be done to keep it within the limits of the treaty is a crucial way to make the right decisions for the future.

The first global stocktake will occur at COP28 in Dubai next year. Hundreds of heads of state, high-level representatives, media professionals, academics and other non-state actors will gather to assess the progress toward the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

This process will help governments understand what they need to do to reach their goals. It also gives them a chance to identify gaps and opportunities to improve their actions.

Global Goal on Adaptation

The Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) is a framework of adaptation goals that will be adopted at COP 28. It is designed to improve resilience among the most vulnerable nations. This is an important milestone in the global fight against climate change.

In the past year, there has been significant attention to the GGA. The GGA is a key piece of the Paris Agreement. Specifically, it has gained attention from academics, policymakers, and practitioners. Although the Global Goal on Adaptation has been a hot topic, there is no consensus on what it should be. However, there are four key foundations to build upon.

The first is that GGA should be flexible and include several dimensions. For example, the GGA should recognize the importance of transboundary adaptation. Similarly, it should also take into account current reporting instruments.

[davidstortebeker]

King Charles III: The Environmentalist Monarch

King Charles III is the longest heir apparent in British history to finally ascend the throne. Charles is certainly the most environmentally conscious monarch in the history of the country, but even in comparison with other contemporary monarchs he stands out for his environmental engagement. Other monarchs with similarly impressive dedication to environmental causes are Prince Albert II of Monaco, Pope Francis, and Emmanuel Macron, whose position of President of France also makes him the co-prince of Andorra.

image source

Half a Century of Environmental Activism

Charles’ passion for the environment goes back to 1970, when the Prince of Wales was still just twenty-one years old. In his first speech on the topic at the Conference on World Pollution in Strasbourg, France he pointed out the dangers of plastic pollution, long before micro-plastics became a mainstream subject. Over the subsequent decades he added to his environmental causes such related issues, as organic farming, appropriate technologies, electric vehicles, solar power, and reducing our carbon footprint. In his speech in 2021 at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), King Charles urged the world to take on a “warlike footing” to tackle the global challenges of climate change and the loss of biodiversity.

A Number of Environmental Causes

Charles’ environmental engagement has far surpassed merely making speeches, and his many spectacular demonstrations of dedication to the cause, prove that he truly practices what he preaches. In his private estate of Birkhall he installed biomass boilers and a hydroelectric turbine, and he converted his personal car, a 1970 Aston Martin DB6 Volante to run on bio-ethanol. More importantly, Charles used his influence as heir to the throne support progressive climate policy, in cooperation with organizations from the public.

Words Backed up by Actions

In 1990 Charles launched the brand Duchy Originals, selling over 200 different products of his organic farm at Highgrove, generating a good amount of media attention. He established the Prince’s May Day Network in 2007, encouraging private companies to take action on climate change. In 2008 King Charles as Heir Apparent addressed the European Parliament urging the EU to take decisive leadership on the international challenge to abate climate change. In 2010 he launched the International Sustainability Unit for the protection of rain forests and marine ecosystems. In his 2012 address to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, he endorsed the technique known as Holistic Management, developed by Alan Savory, where grazing animals are used to restore soils and grassland. Most recently, Charles launched Terra Carta last year, a new charter that private companies can sign, pledging their support of sustainable actions.

The UK as a Global Climate Leader

With such an impressive track record, it is safe to assume that Charles will continue his environmental efforts in his role as a king. While the British monarch’s direct powers are limited, his position as the head of state of the UK, as well as fourteen commonwealth nations, most certainly has a substantial impact. With such a dedicated king there is hope that we can surmount the greatest challenges of our times.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8